"Islands are leading innovative solutions for the necessity of our people’s and country’s survival. Strong partnerships are critical to making these solutions a reality. I call on you to join our Global Island Partnership to work together to build resilient and sustainable island communities."H.E. Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., President of Palau and Leader of the Global Island Partnership

Micronesia Challenge

“Above all, the peoples of Micronesia share a common understanding that we are one with our earth and connected to our neighbors. We are committed to our islands, our peoples, and our natural heritage.” - Micronesia Challenge Business Plan and Conservation Campaign

In 2006, in the midst of increasing global threats such as climate change, the drastic decline of biodiversity and the extreme vulnerability of small island nations, Heads of Government across Micronesia challenged not only themselves but also the international community, to step up and exceed the conservation targets set by international conventions and treaties.

Together the leaders of the Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, U.S. Territory of Guam and the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) came together and committed to effectively conserve at lease 30% of the near-shore marine resources and 20% of the terrestrial resources across Micronesia by 2020. This commitment became known as the Micronesia Challenge.

From Commitment to Action:

The Micronesia Challenge spans more than 20% of the Pacific Island region and 5% of the world’s largest ocean, encompassing an enormous, invaluable richness of biological and cultural diversity. Importantly, it emphasizes the connectivity of the region and the need to address problems across borders, bringing together nearly 650,000 people from over 2,000 islands and five political jurisdictions in their commitment to conserve the region’s life-sustaining natural systems for future generations.

The Micronesia Challenge is a bright spot in how heads of government can come together to make visionary, long-term commitments. It is a bright spot at the regional level that has seen significant levels of financial resources being committed to island-led solutions. It has also since inspired similar regional initiatives in the Caribbean, Western Indian Ocean and Hawai’i through the Global Island Partnership.

The Micronesia Challenge has set an unprecedented example of collaborative, sustainable marine and terrestrial conservation for the international community. Characterized by regional cooperation, thematic breadth, successful endowments and linking of national, regional and global conservation targets, the Micronesia Challenge has become more than a model: it is a movement.

The Challenge brings together more than 2,000 isolated islands, separated into five political jurisdictions, inhabited by nearly 500,000 people speaking 12 different languages — all working towards the same set of goals.